This invention relates to the introduction of liquid into a person's colon through the anal opening, and in particular it relates to a new and improved method and device for retaining a tube in place in the person's anal opening while administering the cleansing or other liquid.
My prior application which is referred to above relates to a new and improved method and technique for cleansing the colon. Included as a part of that method and technique is the introduction into a person's colon of a tube for administering a cleansing liquid, said tube having a balloon near the end thereof adapted to be inflated within the patient's anal opening to hold the tube in place. In any procedure wherein such a tube must remain in place within the person's anal opening, but particularly in the methods and techniques described in my earlier application wherein large quantities of liquid are introduced and held therein for a significant period of time, there is a tendancy for the patient to expel the tube and hence a need exists for a means for preventing such expulsion.
While it is of course the purpose of the balloon to prevent such expulsion of the tube, there are many situations wherein the balloon cannot in and of itself prevent such expulsion.
Another problem which occurs when using such balloons is that they are subjected to asymmetrical and significant forces tending to tilt the balloon and otherwise pull it up into the rectum whereby it will not perform its sealing function.
Hence, there exists a need for stabilizing the tube and balloon in place by pulling it down against the interior of the anal opening to maintain the seal between the balloon and the walls of the anus while concurrently preventing involuntary expulsion of the entire tube and balloon.